Giant rats spotted at Hesketh Park in Southport

Concerns have been raised by locals of a rat infestation at Hesketh Park in Southport.

A Southport mum, Nicola Baron, of Wennington Road in Hesketh visits the park once a week with her son to feed the ducks, but said she was concerned after noticing an increase in rats over the last two weeks.

The 36-year-old said: "My step mum had seen them the week before and it was quite a few. They normally only come out at night but they were all around the lake in the day. I wasn't even standing near them and I could see them just running across."

She added: "When my step mum was there last week she had the dog and there was a toddler at the edge of the lake feeding the ducks and they get frightened. She doesn't want to walk round the lake anymore!"